Uzbekistan introduces a new order of import of socially significant medicines

Botschaft Usbekistan, November 1, 2017

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree according to which socially important medicines will be imported without tenders and quotas.

Earlier import of socially important medicines and medical products sold at fixed prices was carried out by a tender conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade among domestic wholesale and wholesale-retail companies within quotas determined by the Ministry of Health, experts of the informational-legal portal norma.uz explain.

Now, instead of a tender, the Ministry of Foreign Trade will conduct quarterly analysis of the world market prices, and submit proposals on the maximum permissible import contract cost of socially significant medicines and medical products to the special Republican Commission.

The proposals are considered by the Working Group from representatives of the ministries of foreign trade, economy, finance, health, as well as the Central Bank and the State Committee on Competition. Based on the calculations of the working group, the Republican Commission approves the marginal costs for import contracts.

Above these prices, the conclusion of import contracts for the supply of goods is not allowed.

In addition, the requirement to import imports of this category of goods only domestic wholesale and wholesale and retail companies, as well as quoting supplies from the Ministry of Health are excluded.

At the same time, the control over pricing in pharmacies is transferred from the Control Inspection of the Ministry of Health to the territorial health authorities.